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Mint Primer

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In this podcast adaptation of the renowned Mint Primer, host Rohan delivers concise, digestible Q&A sessions on headline stories. Every morning, gain valuable insights into major, intricate narratives for a comprehensive understanding. Dive deeper into Primer's breaking news, opinions, special reports, and more. This is a Mint production, brought to you by HT Smartcast.
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Episodes

Can inflation swing votes in state elections?

Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram are headed for assembly elections amid varying retail inflation numbers. Rajasthan’s at 6.53% is above the RBI’s upper tolerance band. Mint explains the relevance of inflation to the elections.

Oct 17, 20236 minEp. 242

Why ADAS cars are the talk of the town

Earlier this month, carmaker Hyundai announced plans to offer advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) across its entire product range in India. Why has it become fashionable to talk about ADAS and what is spurring its growth? Tune in Now.

Oct 16, 20236 minEp. 241

Why states in the South are in a rush to borrow

Southern states are on a borrowing spree. In the second quarter of 2023-24, all of them—barring Karnataka—have gone way beyond their planned borrowing limits. Why is this so? And how have the other states fared?

Oct 13, 20237 minEp. 240

A Fissured Land: Israel, Palestine, and Hamas

Israel is at war with Hamas, the latest chapter in an enervating cycle of violence. Why has the Palestine question remained unresolved for so long? Mint takes a look at the past, present, and future of this festering conflict and its implications for the world and Indian economy.

Oct 12, 20237 minEp. 239

Nobel: Lessons from Claudia Goldin’s findings

Claudia Goldin, an economic historian and professor at Harvard University bagged this year’s Nobel prize in economics for her pioneering research that advances our understanding of labour market outcomes for women.

Oct 11, 20236 minEp. 238

Grave New World: Can we oversee AI decisions?

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) is automating its compliance system with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools. But decisions such as serving notices on companies will be left to (human) officials to make.

Oct 10, 20236 minEp. 237

Sikkim review: How safe are dams in India?

The Chungthang dam in Sikkim, the source for a hydropower plant, collapsed last week, killing 30 people. Recently, other states have also witnessed catastrophes involving large dams leading to floods and landslides. Just how safe are these mega-projects? Mint explains.

Oct 09, 20236 minEp. 236

How prices have moved since last MPC meeting

The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) monetary policy committee (MPC) is set to deliver its decision on the policy repo rate today, with the market expecting a status quo despite the surge in prices amid a hardening of bond yields. A pause, nevertheless, would be a challenge.

Oct 06, 20236 minEp. 235

Malaria Gets its Second Vax: Why it’s Momentous

A malaria vaccine developed by Oxford University and Serum Institute of India (SII) has been recommended for large-scale use by the World Health Organization (WHO). The R21/Matrix-M—only the second malaria jab—has shown up to 75% efficacy.

Oct 05, 20236 minEp. 234

How an Andhra Scheme Can Save Pension Reforms

Andhra Pradesh’s new Guaranteed Pension System (GPS) is a hybrid of the old and new pension schemes. It offers the best of both worlds—a guaranteed pension without burdening the state significantly. Mint looks at its potential to salvage India’s hard-fought pension reforms.

Oct 04, 20235 minEp. 233

Why EU’s carbon tax is facing pushback

The European Union’s (EU’s) carbon tax—the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)—came into effect on 1 October, causing a wedge between developing and developed countries. Interestingly, it is facing resistance from even within Europe. Tune in now for the breakdown

Oct 03, 20236 minEp. 232

Why sovereign gold bonds are glittering away

The latest tranche of sovereign gold bonds (SGBs) saw investors subscribing to a record number of units. Mint looks at the reasons for this high interest in SGBs, gold’s clout as a hedge against inflation and the outlook for the yellow metal.

Sep 29, 20236 minEp. 231

Borrowing plans: Why the market remained calm

The central government on Tuesday announced that it will borrow ₹6.55 trillion during the second half of the ongoing fiscal year, keeping its borrowing plans unchanged. Mint explains the relevance of this for the Indian economy.

Sep 29, 20236 minEp. 230

1.5 Trillion in taxes? The gamblee with online gaming?

In todays primer we take a look in the world of Gambling firms and the stance of the DGGI levying taxes on these firms in regards to a lot of under the table tax evasion and discrepancies, The gaming industry criticizes these claims, considering them disproportionate, and questions the legal basis for such retrospective claims, which were not recommended by the finance minister in the GST Council meeting. Tune in now for the whole story

Sep 27, 20236 minEp. 229

Analyzing key factors behind housing project completions

in today's primer we take a look at how recent data indicates a notable reduction in delays associated with the completion of real estate projects. This positive trend can be largely attributed to the pivotal role played by the implementation of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, commonly known as RERA. Tune in now

Sep 26, 20237 minEp. 228

Life beyond oil: Can distance tax ease the switch?

Taxes on oil make up a chunk of government revenue. Surging interest in electric vehicles, however, puts this under threat. Distance tax is touted as one way to offset any loss in revenue. What is it, how effective will it be, and how does it work? Sumant Banerji explains the reasons behind it. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

Aug 10, 20237 minEp. 227

IT import curbs: Licence Raj or Make in India?

In a surprise move, the government last week reintroduced licensing and ended free imports of IT hardware. Many reasons have been cited for this step. Mint explains the possible rationale and the potential impact of the measure going forward. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

Aug 08, 20237 minEp. 226

The new data protection bill: Five takeaways

After five years and multiple iterations, the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill was tabled in Parliament on Thursday. Featuring a number of changes from the 2022 draft, the bill is a mixed bag. Shouvik Das, Gulveen Aulakh gives you the top five takeaways. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

Aug 04, 20236 minEp. 225

What flipped the decline of India's Forex reserves?

India’s foreign exchange reserves, which peaked at $642 billion in October 2021, declined for most part of last year. The trend reversed this year with forex reserves touching a 15-month high of $609 billion as of 14 July. Mint explains the reasons behind this rise.

Aug 02, 20237 minEp. 223

Off the block: Luxury car sales roar in India

Luxury car sales were at record levels in the first half of 2023. Should the trend continue, the industry could log an all-time high for the full year. What explains this frenzy, who are the major benefactors and how long will it sustain? Sumant Banerji explains the reasons behind this rise. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

Aug 02, 20236 minEp. 224

How style & affordability intersect with car safety feat. Martin Uhlarik, Tata Motors

Mint's Alisha Sachdev discusses how car design and safety criss-cross and interact when it comes to building a new vehicle, with Tata Motors' Head of Global Design Martin Uhlarik. How does the company balance price, style, function and safety? What changes will autonomous driving bring? Tune in to this special episode for plenty of food for thought.

Jul 27, 202354 minEp. 222

Unravelling the mystery: Decline of smartphone shipments in India

Smartphone sales in India have been falling, with the entry and mid-tier segment the most impacted. In the first half of 2023, overall sales dropped below the 50-million-unit mark. Why are sales declining and what do we expect for the rest of the year? Sumant Banerji finds out.

Jul 24, 20237 minEp. 221

Poor no longer? Dimensions of poverty in India

Around 135 million Indians exited ‘multidimensional poverty’, a measure of deprivation beyond money, between 2015-16 and 2019-21, the Niti Aayog says. The basis of calculation is the National Family Health Survey (NFHS). Mint's Tanay Sukumar explains. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Jul 19, 20238 minEp. 220

Could whiskey sour India-UK trade talks?

As India and the UK discuss a range of goods in talks on a free trade deal, proposals for whisky are proving hard to swallow for both sides. That’s because Indians are the world’s biggest consumers of Scotch and UK the biggest producer. Mint's Ravi Dutta Mishra takes a look at the bigger picture. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

Jul 18, 20237 minEp. 219

Compensation cess: How it affects your utility vehicle buying plans

If you are planning to buy an SUV (sport utility vehicle) or MUV (multi-utility vehicle) the GST Council’s decision to change the definition of UVs that attract a compensation cess of 22% may have implications. Mint's Alisha Sachdev explains the changes and their impact on buyers.

Jul 14, 20238 minEp. 218

Reaching for the moon: The next Chandrayaan

The ₹386 crore Chandrayaan-1 was successful. Its orbiter kept orbiting around the Moon for 312 days conducting experiments while its impact probe landed on the lunar surface and discovered signs of water. The ₹850 crore Chandrayaan-2’s mandate was bigger. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Jul 13, 20236 minEp. 217

Deficit to deluge: India’s swinging monsoon test

Heavy rainfall across North India has pushed monsoon into surplus territory for the entire country. But instead of cheer, the sudden deluge served as a grim reminder of recurrent climate shocks and the resultant human and economic toll. Mint's Sayantan Bera and Puja Das explain. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

Jul 13, 20237 minEp. 216

Should India limit junk food ads after WHO red flag?

With unhealthy diets becoming a global public health concern, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended mandatory restrictions on marketing junk food to children, terming it a harmful practice. Mint's Sayantan Bera explains why it is critical for India to act fast. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

Jul 11, 20237 minEp. 215

Empty spaces: Why are so many offices vacant?

Offices are emptying out as new property supplies hit the market and users exit for cheaper and more space-efficient spaces as they adopt hybrid work models. Will this demand-supply mismatch see vacant office stocks rise further? Madhurima Nandy explores. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

Jul 10, 20237 minEp. 214

Can Indian phonemakers ring in the China magic?

On 4 July, Reliance subsidiary Jio Platforms launched a 4G-equipped feature phone, called Jio Bharat 4G, for under ₹1,000. Other Indian brands also plan to launch inexpensive smartphones. After having lost out to Chinese brands nearly a decade ago, can the Indian brands cut it in today’s market? Mint's Shouvik Das decodes. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

Jul 07, 20237 minEp. 213
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